Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Metals & Mining, Resources and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.95%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Mineral Resources Ltd (AX:MIN), which rose 6.63% or 0.640 points to trade at 10.300 at the close. Meanwhile, Link Administration Holdings Ltd (AX:LNK) added 5.81% or 0.438 points to end at 7.980 and Greencross Ltd (AX:GXL) was up 4.93% or 0.290 points to 6.170 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Vicinity Centres Re Ltd (AX:VCX), which fell 3.85% or 0.105 points to trade at 2.625 at the close. Stockland Corporation Ltd (AX:SGP) declined 3.60% or 0.170 points to end at 4.550 and Aveo Group (AX:AOG) was down 3.33% or 0.095 points to 2.755.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 747 to 427 and 414 ended unchanged.
Shares in Vicinity Centres Re Ltd (AX:VCX) fell to 52-week lows; down 3.85% or 0.105 to 2.625.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 8.40% to 11.855.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.35% or 4.43 to $1253.53 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 0.54% or 0.24 to hit $44.98 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.40% or 0.19 to trade at $47.73 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.29% to 0.7662, while AUD/JPY rose 0.19% to 85.96.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.20% at 95.59.